Stage Details

Legislation -
Placed on Calendar
(Senate)
-
Sept. 18, 2008

Vote Result

Yea Votes

Nay Votes

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that repeals regulations relating to the possession and sale of firearms in Washington, D.C., so as to comply with the requirements of the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of The District of Columbia v. Heller.

Highlights:

Specifies that the District of Columbia does not have the authority to enact laws or regulations that "discourage or eliminate" private ownership or use of firearms (Sec. 3).

Allows a lawful possessor of a firearm to carry a firearm in his or her home, place of business, or on other land owned by that person (Sec. 9).

Repeals the requirements that residents of the District of Columbia must register their firearms and that a person who possesses ammunition must be registered to possess a firearm of the same gauge or caliber as that ammunition (Secs. 5-6).

Repeals the requirement that lawful possessors of firearms within the District of Columbia must keep their firearms unloaded and disassembled or bound by a device such as a trigger lock unless the firearm is in the possessor's place of business or is being used for lawful recreational purposes (Sec. 7).

Allows residents of Washington, D.C., to purchase firearms from licensed dealers in the states of Maryland or Virginia (Sec. 10).

Note:

NOTE: THIS IS A SUBSTITUTE BILL, MEANING THE LANGUAGE OF THE ORIGINAL BILL HAS BEEN REPLACED. THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE SUBSTITUTE BILL TEXT DIFFERS FROM THE PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE TEXT CAN VARY GREATLY.